Mutiny: A Revolutionary Act?

Join Dr Krysten Blackstone to discuss the ways in which rebelling American soldiers expressed dissatisfaction, while also upholding the ideals of the Revolution.

Patterns of mutiny in the Continental Army during the American War of Independence are significantly different to other 18th-century armies. In these unique patterns, we can see some measure of soldier’s morale, but also soldiers’ understandings of their place within the conflict and society, their confidence of their value to the army, and a defence of their rights. In the act of munity, soldiers mirrored the ideals of the Revolution.

Early in the war, mutiny reflected power struggles. As authority and structures were defined throughout the war, mutiny became an act of protest used to address grievances and bring officers to the negotiating table. Instead of leaving the army, mutineers highlighted their problems and attempted to fundamentally change military life.

About the speaker

Dr Krysten Blackstone is a Lecturer in International and Military History at the University of Salford, where she has been since 2022. She completed her undergraduate, MSc and PhD at the University of Edinburgh. She is a social and military historian of Early America. Her research is concerned with enlisted soldiers and utilises soldiers' narratives of the conflict, primarily diaries, to illuminate the diversity of soldiers’ lived experiences.